Pneumatic-despatch system.



No. 70l,869.

Patented June It], I902.

H. W. FOBSLUND. PNEUMATIC DESPATCH SYSTEM.

(Application filed Sept 28, 1899.}

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No. 70!,869.- Patented lunevlfl, I902.

H. W. FORSLUND.

PNEUMATIC DESPATCH SYSTEM. (Application filed Sept. 28, 1899.)

(In Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 70I,869. Pa ltented June 10, I902. H. w. FORSLUND. PNEUMATIC D'ESPATGH SYSTEM.

(Application filed Sept. 28, 1899.

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N0. 70|,ss9. Patented lune 10, I902.

H. w FURSLUND. PNEUMATIC DESPATCH SYSTEM. (Application filed Sept 28, 1899.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGO W. FORSLUND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN PNEUMATIC SERVICE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- PORATION OF DELAWARE.

P'N Eu MATlC-DESPATCH SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 701,869, dated June 10, 1902.

Application filed September 28, 1899. Serial No.- 731,930. (No model.) I

To all whom it mag concern,-

Be it known that I, 'HUGOIV.'FORSLUND, of Chicago, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic-De spatch Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pneumatic despatch systems, and has for its object to'provide a simple andeflicient mechanism whereby the carriers may be'automatically introduced into and withdrawn fromthe system at the terminal stations without permitting direct communication between the system and the outer air, and thus causing leakage and reduction of pressure.

More specifically, my present invention has for its object the simplification of the terminal mechanism, the reduction toa minimum of the time during which the terminals are not in position to receive a carrier, and the provision of means whereby the operation of the terminals may be either purely automatic or wholly or partly manually controlled.

To this and other ends my invention consists in certain novel features, which I will now proceed to describe and will then particularly point out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of 2. sending-terminal embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig; 3 is an end elevation, partly in section.- Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the receiving-terminal. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an end elevation, partly in section, of the receiving-terminal. Fig. 7 is a detail plan section illustrating the racks, gears, segments, and

pawl mechanism; and Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail plan View of one of the controlling valves.

Referring to the said drawings'I will first describe the sending-terminal, which is shown 5 in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. In this construction the main tube is indicated at l and the branch tube through which air under pressure is admitted to the main tubeat 2. 3 indicates a suitable casing, in which is mounted to revolve therein a rotating receptacle 4, secured on a shaft 5, mounted in suitable hearings in the casing 3. The rotary receptacle preferably consists of an annular peripheral portion 6 and two parallel tubes 7 and 8, these several parts being connected by webs 9 or in any suitable manner. The parallel tubes 7 and 8 are arranged on oppositesides of and parallel with thediamete'r of the receptacle, said tubes having openings through the annular peripheral portion 6 of the receptacle, which openings are oppositely directed. The casing 3 isprovided with an'upper opening 10, which is adapted to register with the opening of that one of the tubes 7 or 8 which is uppermost, and with a lower opening 11, which is adapted to register 6 5 with the opening of that one of the tubes which is lowermost. The main tube 1 is connected with the opening 11 preferably in the following manner: The casing 3 is provided with a tubular extension 12, connected to or in one piece with a peripheral plate 13,which extends some distance on each side of the opening 11. This tubular extension is of greater diameter than that section of the main tube 1 which extends through the same, which section is indicated at 14, and in the space thus formed between the tubular parts 12 and 1 1 is 10- cated a sleeve 15, having at its inner end a flange 16, which is adapted to bear against the peripheral portion 6 of the rotary recep- 8o tacle. "17 representsa packing which is held against theouter end of the sleeve 15 by meansof a packing-ring 18, backed by springs 19. By reason of this construction leakage and escape of air is prevented both at the inner end of the sleeve between it and the rotary receptacle and at the outer end thereof between the two parts 12 and 14. The opening 10 in the casing is surrounded by atubular extension 20, carried by or in one piece with a peripheral plate 21, which extends a, short distance on each side thereof. f It will be understood that the rotary receptacle is not in contact with its inclosing casing except at those points where the peripheral 5 plates 13 and 21 are located.

, The rotary receptacle is actuated by the following mechanism: A motor-cylinder 22 is mounted above the casing 3, and preferably to one side thereof, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. The piston 23 within the cylinder has connected to its piston-rod 24 two racks 25 and 26, located in different planes and connected at the top by cross-bar 27 and at the bottom by a cross-bar 28. Mounted loosely upon the shaft 5 are two gear-segments 29 and 30, each havinga toothless side 31. The gear-segment 29 meshes with the rack 26, while the gear-segment 30 meshes with the rack 25. Each of said gear-segments has pivotally mounted in it a pawl 32, the gearsegments being hollow internally to receive said pawls, as clearly shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. Each pawl is provided with a spring 33, by means of which it is forced inward toward the shaft 5, and each pawl is provided with a tailpiece 34, which by contact with the peripheral portion or rim of the gear-segment limits this inward movement of the other end or toe of the pawl. Between the gear-segments and in line with the toes of the pawls thereon is located a disk 35, secured on the shaft 5 and having a projection 36, with which the pawls 32 engage, and a flat side 36.

'By reason of the construction just described each stroke of the piston 23 in either direction produces one-half of a revolution of the rotary receptacle, this half-revolution being, however, always in the same direction. Assuming that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, upon a downward stroke of the piston 23 the rack 25 will rotate the gear-segment 29 in such a direction that its pawl 32 will engage the projection 36 on the disk 35, and thus rotate the receptacle 4 for one-half of a revolution or through an arc of one hundred and eighty degrees. During this operation the rack 26 rotates the gear-segment 30 in the opposite direction, but without any effect on the shaft 5 and receptacle 4, as the pawl of this gearsegment rides freely over the disk 35 without engaging it. Vhen the piston has reached the downward limit of its stroke, the flat surface 36 of the disk 35 comes into contact with the underside ofthe oross-bar27, and thereby serves to arrest the motion of the parts, acting as a stop. At the same time the pawl of the gear-segment 30 passes beyond the projection 36 of the disk 35 and drops behind the same. Upon the return or rearward stroke of the piston 23 the rack 26 by its engagement with the gear-segment 30 imparts to the receptacle 4another half-turn in the same direction through the medium of its pawl, which has just engaged the projection of the disk on the shaft 5, and during this movement the pawl of the gear-segment 28 moves freely over said disk in the opposite direction. \Vhen the parts have returned to their original position, which is that shown in the drawings, the flat portion 36 of the disk 35 is in contact with the cross-bar 28, again serving as a stop to arrest the movement of the parts.

The action of the motor is controlled by means of a valve 37, mounted in a casing38, from which a pipe 39 extends to the upper end of the cylinder 22, a second pipe 40 extending from said casing to the lower end of the said cylinder. This valve-casing is also provided with an inlet-pipe 41, connected with a suitable source of supply of air under pressure, and with an outlet-pipe 42, and the valve is a balanced valve, the construction being such that in one position of the valve air is admitted to one end of the cylinder and exhausted from the other end, while in the other position of the valve air is admitted to the last-mentioned end and exhausted from the other. In order to operate the valve 37, its stem 43 is connected to one end of a bell-crank lever 44, the other end of which is connected by means of a rod 45 with a lateral arm 46 of a T-shaped lever 47. This lever has an upwardlyextending arm 48 and a downwardly-extending arm 49 and is pivotally connected at its center by means of a pin 50 with the free upper end of a shifting-arm 51, pivoted at its lower end, as shown at 52, to the side of the outer casing 3. The posi: tion of the shifting arm is controlled by means of a rod 53, pivoted to the pin 50 at one end, while its other end is connected to a hand-lever 54, mounted on the outside of the casing 3 and adapted to be secured in either of its two positions by means of a locking-quadrant and a locking-bolt 56 or other suitable means. The upper and lower ends of the T-shaped lever 47 are respectively provided with pins 57 and 58, which extend inward through slots in the casing 3. At the inner end of the tube 7 there is provided a closure or housing 59, in which is mounted a rock-shaft 60, provided with a contact-arm 61, which is adapted to be struck and moved by a carrier when inserted in the tube 7. The rock-shaft is also provided with an actuating-arm 62, which is adapted to engage the pin 58 of the lower arm 49 of the Tshaped lever 47 when the rock-shaft 50 is operated by reason of the contact of a carrier with its arm 61. A spring 63 is provided to hold the rock-shaft 60 and its arms 61 and 62 normally in the position shown in the drawings and to return them to said position when free. The inner end of the tube 8 is similarly provided, having a closure or housing 64, a rock-shaft 65, with controlling-spring 66, contact-arm 67, and actuating-arm 68. It will be observed, however, that although the arrangement of the tubes 7 and 8 is reversed that of the rockshafts and their arms is identical, so that when the tube 8 is uppermost its actuatingarm 68 is adapted to engage the pin 57 of the upper arm 48 of the T-shaped lever 47, while, as already stated, the actuating-arm 62 of the tube 7 engages the lower pin 58.

Assuming that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, with the lever 54 drawn forward, so that the shifting-arm 51 has moved the T-shaped lever 4'7 into operative position,

it will be noted that the valve 37 is in a position to admit air under pressure to the under side of the piston 23 in the cylinder 22 and that the lower pin 58 of the lever 47 is moved forward toward the center of the rotating receptacle 4. It will also be observed that when the said rotating receptacle is stationary in either one of these two normal positions of rest the tubes 7 and S are inclinedthat one which is uppermost being so inclined that a carrier inserted therein will tend to move from its mouth downward and inward to the inner end of the tube, while that one which is lowermost is so inclined that a carrier located therein will move toward the month of the tube and be discharged into the main tube 1, which is similarly inclined at its terminal portion. Thus with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 1 a carrier inserted into the tube 7, through the open mouth thereof, will strike against the contactarm 61 and actuate the rock-shaft 60, so as to cause its actuating-arm 62 to strike against the pin 58. The T-shaped lever 47 will thereupon be rocked upon its pivot 50, and its arm 46 will, through the medium of the rod 45 and the bell-crank lever 44, shift the valve 37, so as to admit air under pressure above the piston 23. The piston will then make a downward stroke and through the mechanism already described rotate the receptacle 4 one-half of a revolution. The tube 7 will then be lowermost, with its mouth opposite the mouth of the main tube 1, and the carrier will be discharged by gravity into the main tube, where as soon as it has passed the branch tube 2 it will be carried forward by the air-pressure in the usual manner. The tube 8 is now uppermost and ready to receive a carrier and deliver it into the main tube. It will be seen, however, that the position of the lever 47 has been so changed as to bring the pin 57 at the upper end thereof into a position where'it may be struck'by the actuating-lever 68 upon the insertion of a carrier into the tube 8 and its consequent coming into contact with the contact-arm 67, so as to rock the shaft 65. This occurrence will shift the valve 37 back to its original position, the piston will make an upstroke, and the rotating receptacle will be once more so moved as to bring the tube 7 uppermost, while the pin 58 will be moved into position to be operated by the actuating-arm 62.

The mechanism for automatically actuating the terminal may be thrown out of operation by shifting the lever 54 from the position shown in Fig. 1, whereupon the shift- I ing-arm 51 will carry the T-shaped lever 47 rearward or outward beyond the reach of the actuating-arms 62 and 68. When the parts are in this position, however the terminal may be manually operated, provision to this end being made by a handle 69 upon the rearward:extending arm 46 of the lever 47, by means of which arm the lever may obviously be so moved as to shift the position of the valve 37, as desired. It'will also be seen that by the same means the valve may be manu- V ally operated even when the automatic operating mechanism is in gear.

vI have provided automaticmeans for introducing a carrier into the rotating receptacle, said means comprising a standard 7 0, located in front of the inlet-opening 10 of the casing 3, to which standard is pivoted eccentrically of its length a rocking or tilting cradle or chute 71, open at the top to receive a carrier and also open at the end of its longer arm to permit the free discharge of the carrier when the cradle or chute is tilted. Near this discharge end of the chute is pivoted one end of a connecting-rod 72, the other end of which is connected to a piston 73, adapted to slide within a cylinder 74, forming a dash -pot. The cylinder 74 is provided with an outlet 75, having a controlling-valve 76, by means of which the rate of escape of the air from said cylinder may be regulated, and with an inlet 77, having a check-valve 78, so as to permit the piston 73 to be readily and quickly raised. The chute or cradle 71 is provided at its shorter arm with a counterbalance 79,

which maintains the chute normally in a horizontal position. The chute is of such length that when a carrier is placed therein its weight is so distributed relatively to the pivot of the chute that the longer end of the chute will gradually descend, the speed being regulated by the valve 7 6,-until when the proper position has been reached the carrier will pass by gravity into the uppermost tube of the rotating receptacle. is freed from the carrier the counterbalance 79 will return it to its normal position, the check-valve 78 permitting ready entrance of the air to the interior of the cylinder 74, so that the returnof the chute to its normal horizontal position is comparatively rapid.

Having thus fully described the sendingterminal, it will be unnecessary to describe with similar detail the construction of the receiving-terminal, as the main operative parts are identical and are marked with similar letters of reference, so that their construction may be readily understood. The chief differences between the receiving-terminal and sending-terminal will, however, be briefly referred to. It will be noticed, in the first place, that the terminal portion of the main tube 1 is inclined downwardly toward the rotary receptacle 4 instead of downwardly away from said receptacle, as in the case of the sendingterminal. It will also 4 be noticed thatthe inclination of the tubes 7 and 8 of the receiving-terminal is the reverse of that of the corresponding tubes of the sendingterminal, that one of said tubes which communicates with the outer air being inclined upward and inward from its mouth, while that one of said tubes which is in communication with the main tube 1 is inclined downward and inward from its mouth. It will also be noticed that the arrangement of the As soon as the chute pawls of the gear-segments, the valve 37, and its operating mechanism is reversed, these latter elements being arranged on that side of the casing farthest from the main tube and so arranged as to be operated in conj unction with the lowermost of the tubes 7 and 8 instead of in conjunction with theuppermost, as in the case of the sending-terminal. This arrangement of course dispenses with the connecting-rod 53 between the lever 54 and the pin 50, said lever and the shiftingarm 51 being made in a single continuous piece. It also results from this reverse arrangement that the normal position of the lever 54 of the receiving-terminal is the reverse of the normal position of the corresponding lever of the sending-terminal.

In connection with the receiving-terminal I employ a receiving chute substantially identical in construction with that set forth in a prior application filed by me August 23, 1899, Serial No. 728,160. In this construction indicates the receiving-chute as a whole, the lower portion or bottom 81 of which-is hinged upon a longitudinal axis 82, the chute terminating in a cap 83, provided with a suitable butter 84. (Shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 of the drawings.) The pivoted bottom 81 may be operated by means of a cam 85 on the end of the shaft 5 of the rotating receptacle, which cam bears upon a roller 86, carried by one end of a lever 87, pivoted between its ends on the casing 3, as indicated at 88. The other end of the lever 87 is bent so as to bring it underneath the receivingchnte, to the hinged bottom of which it is connected by a link 89, having universaljoint connections with both lever and bottom. Other operating mechanism than that just described may be employed to actuate the pivoted bottom 81 of the receiving-chute. Inclined ways 90 extend laterally outward and downward from the receiving-chute, terminating in upwardly-curved ends 91, forming stops. It will be noted, however, that whereas in my former application the normal position of the pivoted bottom of the chute is the lowered position, said bottom being only raised upon the advent of a carrier into the chute, in the present construction the normal position of the hinged bottom of the chute is the raised position shown in the drawings. It will be seen that if a carrier is lying in the receiving-chute upon the advent of a second carrier at the terminal the halfrotation of the rotary receptacle will lower the bottom of the receiving-chute so as to automatically discharge the carrier therefrom along the inclined ways 90, the said bottom returning to its position to receive the carrier which has just arrived, which latter carrier will be in turn discharged from the receiving-chute upon the advent of another carrier.

The general operation of the receiving-terminal will be readily understood. Upon the advent of a carrier it passes from the main line into that one of the tubes of the rotating receptacle which is lowermost. In case the said receptacle is in operation upon the arrival of the carrier the peripheral portion 6 thereof will efiectively close and seal the end of the main tube 1, so as to form an air-cushion between the carrier and the said peripheral portion, which will effectually check or stop the carrier Without causing any damage. In such a case the carrier will descend by gravity into the tube of the receptacle after this latter is in place to receive it. When the carrier strikes against the contact-arm of the lowermost tube, it operates the controlling-valve and starts the actuating mechanism, so that the rotating receptacle is given a halfrevolution and the lowermost tube comes uppermost and in such a position that the carrier is discharged by gravity into the receiving-chute. At the same time the controlling-valve and its operating mechanism are so set as to be operated by the mechanism at the inner or closed end of the other tube in the way already described in connection with the sending-terminal.

Considering the apparatus as a whole, it will be observed that it presents several material ad vantages. The chief of these advantages is the rapidity with which the carriers are introduced into and discharged from the system. Such introduction or discharge requires only a half-revolution of the rotary receptacles provided for this purpose, and after such a half-revolution the terminals are immediately in condition to receive or discharge a second carrier without involving the necessity of returning to the position which they occupied before the operation. By this means about one-half of the time usually consumed in the operation of terminals of this class is economized. The particular construction of rotating receptacles operating around a horizontal axis with their carrier-tubes at a right angle to said axis is advantageous in that it permits the arrangement of said tubes at such angles to the horizontal axis as will enable me to utilize the force of gravity both in the introduction and in the removal of the carriers in an automatic manner. Again, this arrangement is advantageous for the reason that during the rotation of the receptacle the carrier-tubes therein successively assume a vertical position with their mouths down ward, so that all dirt and other extraneous material which may have entered the tubes from any source is automatically discharged therefrom. The automatic mechanism for actuating the receptacle after the introduction of a carrier into the same is obviously advantageous, and the provision of means whereby it may be thrown into or out of operation and whereby in either position thereof the terminal may be manually operated is manifestly desirable. The operation of the apparatus is further simplified, so far as the work of the attendance is concerned, by the provision of means for handling the carriers automatically before their introduction into the system and after their delivery therefrom.

While I have described in detail an appara tus embodying my invention in its preferred form, I do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to the precise embodiment set forth or to the details thereof described in the specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, since the same may obviously be varied or some features thereof omitted without departing from the principle of my invention.

I claim 7 1. In a pneumatic-despatch system, a terminal comprising a main tube and a receptacle adjacent thereto adapted to rotate intermittentlyand in but-one direction across the open end of the main tube, said receptacle having an endwise-rotating carrier-tube section therein which is open at one end and closed at the other, said receptacle being, adapted by its intermittent rotation to alternately present the open end or mouth of the carrier-tube section to the main tube and the open air, substantially as described.

2. In a pneumatic-despatch system, a terminal comprising a main tube and a receptacle adjacent thereto adapted to rotate intermittentlyin a vertical planeand in but one direction across the open end of the main tube, said receptacle having an endwise-rotating carrier-tube section therein which is open at one end and closed at the other, said receptacle being adapted by its intermittent rotation to alternately present the open end or mouth of the carrier-tube section to the main tubev and the open air, and sealing the end of the main tube when the carrier-tube is in the latter position, substantially as described. 1

3. In a pneumatic-despatch system, a terminal comprising a main tube having an inclined end portion and a receptacle adjacent thereto adapted to rotate intermittently in a vertical plane and in but one direction across the open end of the main tube, said receptacle having an endwise-rotating similarly-inclined carrier-tube section therein which is open at one end and closed at the other, said receptacle by its intermittent rotation alternately presenting the open end or mouth of the carrier-tube section to the main tube and the open air, substantially-as described.

4. In a pneumatic-despatch system, a terminal comprising a main tube and a rotating receptacle adjacent thereto, having two cartacle adjacent thereto adapted to rotate in a vertical plane, said receptacle having two parallel carrier-tubes arranged oppositely to each other and transversely to the axis of rotation and having their outer ends open and their inner ends closed, whereby the rotation of the receptacle will alternately present the mouth of each tube to the main tube and to the open air, substantially as described.

6. In a pneumatic-despatch system, a terminal comprising a main tube having an inclined end portion and a receptacle adjacent thereto and rotating in a vertical plane, said receptacle having two parallel carrier-tubes arranged oppositely to each other and transversely to the axis of rotation, with a normal inclination substantially identical with that of the end of the main tube, the outer ends of said carrier-tubes being open and their inner ends closed, and said tubes being arranged to be successively presented to the main tube and to the outer air,substantially as described.

7. In a pneumatic-despatch system, a terminal comprising a main tube and a receptacle adjacent thereto adapted to rotate intermittently and in but one direction across the open end of the main tube, an endwiserotating carrier-tube section open at one end and closed at the other carried by said receptacle, an automatic mechanism for actuating said receptacle when a carrier is introduced into the same so as to alternately carry the open end or mouth of said tube-section into registration with the main tube and the open air, substantially as described.

8. In a pneumatic-despatch system, a terminal comprising a main tube and a rotating receptacle adjacent thereto, having two par allel carrier-tubes arranged oppositely to each other and transversely to the axis of rotation, their outer ends being open and their inner ends closed, one of said carrier-tubes presenting its mouth to the main tube and the other of said carrier-tubes presenting its mouth to the open air, and means for imparting a half-revolution to said receptacle to reverse the positions of said carrier-tubes, substantially as described.

p 9. In a pneumatic-despatch system, a terminal comprising a main tube and a rotating receptacle adjacent thereto, having two parallel carrier tubes arranged oppositely to each other and transversely to the axis of rotation, their outer ends being open and their inner ends closed, one of said carrier-tubes presenting its mouth to the main tube and the other of said carrier-tubes presenting its mouth to the open air, and automatic mechanism whereby, upon the advent of a carrier receptacle having two parallel carrier-tubes arranged oppositely to each other and transversely to the axis of rotation with a normal inclination substantially identical with that of the end of the main tube, one of said carrier-tubes presenting its mouth to the main tube and the other of said carrier-tubes presenting its mouth to the open air, and means for imparting to said receptacle a half-revolution, whereby the carriers are adapted to enter and leave said receptacle by gravity, substantially as described.

11. In a pneumatic-despatch system, a terminal comprising a main tube and a rotating receptacle adjacent thereto, having two oppositely-directed transverse carrier-tubes therein, and means for imparting to said receptacle an intermittent rotary motion in a uniform direction of one hundred and eighty degrees, substantially as described.

12. In a pneumatic-despatch system, a terminal comprising a main tube and a rotating receptacle adjacent thereto, having oppositely-directed transverse carrier-tubes, a m otor having mechanism to impart an intermittent rotary motion of one hundred and eighty degrees in a uniform direction to said receptacle, and means actuated by the advent of a carrier in said receptacle for controlling said motor, substantially as described.

13. In a pneumaticdespatch system, the combination, with a main tube and a rotating receptacle having oppositely-arranged transverse carrier-tubes, of a motor for imparting to said receptacle a half-revolution, automatic mechanism actuated by the carrier for controlling said motor, and means for throwing said automatic mechanism out of operative position, substantially as described.

14. In a pneumatic-despatch system, the combination, with a main tube and a rotating receptacle having oppositely-arranged transverse carrier-tubes, of a motor for imparting to said receptacle a half-revolution, automatic mechanism actuated by the carrier for controlling said motor, means for throwing said automatic mechanism out of operative position, and means for manually controlling said motor when the automatic mechanism is inoperative, substantially as described.

15. In a pneumatic-despatch system, the combination, with a main tube and a rotating receptacle having oppositely-arranged transverse carrier-tubes, of a motor for imparting a half-revolution to said receptacle,and means for controlling said motor both automatically by the carrier and manually, substantially as described.

16. In a pneumatic-despatch system, the combination, with a main tube, of sending and receiving terminals therefor, each comprising a rotating receptacle having oppositely-arranged transverse carrier-tubes, automatic mechanism whereby said receptacles are actuated upon the introduction of a carrier, and mechanism for introducing the carriers into the sending-terminal and removing them from the receiving-chute of the receiving-terminal, substantially as described.

17. In a terminal of the character described, a rotating receptacle secured on an axis, a shouldered disk also secured on said axis, gears loosely mounted on said axis in different planes and having pawls to engage the shouldered disk, racks engaging said gears on opposite sides, a motor comprisinga cylinder having a piston connected with said racks, and means for controlling said motor, substantially as described.

18. In a terminal of the characterdescribed, a rotating receptacle having an axis on which it is secured, a shouldered and flattened disk also secured on said axis, two gear-segments loosely mounted on said axis in diiterent planes and having pawls to engage the shouldered disk, two racks engaging the opposite sides of said segments, cross-bars connecting said racks at top and bottom and adapted to contact with the flat portion of the shouldered disk at the limits of their movement, a motor comprising a cylinder and a piston connected with said racks, and means for controlling said motor, substantially as described.

1!). A pneumatic-despatch terminal comprising a rotary receptacle having oppositelyarranged transverse carrier tubes therein, each tube being provided at its inner end with a spring-controlled rock-shaft having a stoparm and an actuating-arm, a motor for actuating said receptacle, a valve controlling said motor, and a lever connected to said controlling-valve and having projections adapted to be successively engaged by the actuatingarms of the carrier-tubes, substantialiy as described.

20. A pneumatic-despateh terminal, comprising a rotating receptacle having oppositely-arranged transverse carrier-tubes,each tube being provided at its inner end with a spring-controlled rock-shaft havinga contactarm adapted to be engaged by the carrier and an actuating-arm, a motor for actuating said receptacle, a valve controlling said motor, a lever connected with said valve and having projections adapted to be respectively engaged by the actuating-arms of the carriertubes when said lever is in one position, and a shifting-arm carrying said lever and adapted to shift the same out of operative position, substantially as described.

21. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, the combination, with a main tube, of a rotating receptacle having an annular periphery or rim and transversely-arranged carriertubes, a casing inclosing said receptacle and having a tubular extension surrounding the end of the main tube, and a spring-actuating packing located between said tubular extension and the main tube and bearing against the rim of the receptacle, substantially as described.

22. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, the combination, with a main tube, of a 1'0- tating receptacle having an annular periphcry or rim and transversely-arranged carriertubes, a casing inclosing said receptacle and having a tubular extension surrounding the end of the main tube, a sleeve fitting and adapted to slide in the space between the main tube and said tubular extension and bearing against the rim of the receptacle at one end, a packing bearing against the other end of said sleeve, and springs for holding said packing in position and pressing the sleeve against the rim of the receptacle, substantially as described.

23. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube system, the combination, with a main tube having an upwardly-inclined sending end and a downwardly-inclined receiving end, of terminals therefor each comprising a rotating receptacle having carrier-tubes the normal inclination whereof corresponds with that of the ends of the main tube with which they are connected, substantially as described.

24. In a pneumatic-despatch system, the combination, with a main tube having an upwardly-inclined sending end and a downwardly-inclined receiving end, of sending and receiving terminals therefor, each comprising a receptacle adapted to rotate in a vertical plane and having oppositely-arranged transverse carrier-tubes, and automatic mechanism whereby said receptacles are actuated upon the introduction of a carrier, substantially as described.

25. The combination, with the sending-terminalof a pneumatic-despatch system, of a tilting cradle or chute'which is normally horizontal, said chute being pivoted eccentrically of its length, whereby it is adapted to be tilted or rocked to discharge the carrier into the terminal when the carrier is placed in said chute, and a counterbalance for returning said chute to its normal position after the discharge of the carrier, substantially as described.

26. The combination, with the sending-terminal of a pneumatic-despatch system, of a inder in which said piston moves, provided.

with a valve-controlled outlet and with an inlet having a check-valve, substantially as described.

28. In a pneumatic-despatch apparatus, a despatch-tube, a terminal, a receiver for the carriers consisting of receivingtubes, and mechanism for moving one tube at a time into alinement with the despatch-tube to receive the carriers, from said despatch-tube, and means for stopping the carriers in the receiver.

29. In a pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus, a despatch-tube, aterminal, a receiver for the carriers consisting of two receiving-tubes, mechanism for automatically moving said receiving-tubes into alinement with the despatch-tube to receive the carriers, from said despatch-tube, and meansfor stopping the carriers in the receivers.

30. In a pneumatic-despatch apparatus, a despatch-tube, a terminal, a receiver for the carriers consisting of receiving tubes, and mechanism operated by compressed air for automatically moving one tube at a time into alinement with the despatch-tube to receive the carriers from said despatch tube, and means for stopping the carriers in the receiver.

HUGO W. FORSLUND.

WVitnesses:

FREDERICK O. GOODWIN, IRVINE MILLER. 

